Lyons started the game taken aback by Maine South’s physicality. The Hawks were controlling the glass and moving the ball with precision. But beginning in the second quarter, the Lions shifted their defensive strategy.
The Lions shifted to an aggressive 1-3-1 defense in the half court that flipped the game in their favor. At the top of the 1-3-1 is 6-1 junior Emma O’Brien. 6-2 Stanford commit Nora Ezike is in the middle. Both players have long wingspans that allow them to cause havoc on the defensive end.
The duo’s relentlessness on defense is what allowed Lyons to separate and beat Maine South 59-53 at the Chicagoland Showcase.
At 8-0, the Lions are off to their best start since the 2022-23 season, when they went 28-5. They’ve already knocked off Benet and St. Ignatius, two of the better teams in the state, with their defensive tenacity.
“We’ve been using the [1-3-1] for the past three years,” said O’Brien, who scored 18 points and grabbed six rebounds. “Every team struggles so much with it. [The 1-3-1] helps our transition offense so much, which is a vital part of our team.”
The Lions trailed 17-13 at the end of the first quarter. But after switching to the 1-3-1, they held the Hawks to just seven points in the second quarter. Forcing live-ball turnovers also allowed Ezike — who’s ranked No. 84 in the country according to ESPN — to get into a rhythm offensively. She scored one point in the first quarter but poured in 10 points in the second quarter.
Ezike scored 23 points, with many coming after she poked a ball loose or stole a pass from the Hawks. She has great instincts on defense and routinely showed that she knew how to anticipate the precise time to jump the passing lanes. Getting Ezike out in transition is the best use of Ezike’s quickness. There’s not many players in the area who have the length and quickness to keep up with her in the open court.
“Nora is just so explosive,” coach Meghan Hutchens said. “The conversation we had was for her to keep attacking the basket. That’s her game, and she can’t stop doing it. She gave us that energy and effort in the full court that we needed.”
Hutchens said she was proud of her team’s composure. Maine South came back to cut Lyons’ lead to two in the fourth quarter after trailing by as many as 10 points. But Lyons had a response every time. O’Brien said that calmness came from Ezike, who scored six of the team’s nine points in the fourth quarter.
“She’s always so calm,” O’Brien said. “Even if she’s having a bad game, she’ll keep us all together. Her defensive presence is so intimidating for the other team.”
But O’Brien’s presence on defense is also critical to the Lions’ success. Having her at the top of the 1-3-1 creates indecision for opposing guards. A pass that’s considered “easy” is instead tipped up in the air and stolen. After the first steal, guards start to second-guess their decisions. And once that hesitation happens, Lyons can capitalize off the mistakes.
“Emma is difficult out there,” Hutchens said. She’s long, lengthy and sneaky. She’ll poke the ball out when you’re just least expecting it, and if she gets you a few times, she gets in your head.”
The talent was always there for the Lions, now they’re showing the necessary resolve and consistency needed to have a successful season.
“We need to keep that momentum, keep playing well and lock in,” Ezike said.